Seeing Evil
by MyAshestoAshes
Summary: (New Summary) After a mysterious meeting in Redcliff, Inquisitor Evelyn begins to see demons everywhere, causing her to turn on those closest to her. Her Advisers work to keep the troubles secret from the Inquisition's followers, and their enemies, while attempting to find out what happened to their Inquisitor.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone. Thank you very much for taking the time to give this story a look. I haven't written anything outside of term papers and research papers for a while so I would appreciate any and all feedback. This story has been bouncing around in my head for a while now. It was originally going to be a one shot but as I work out the details I'm thinking it may be a chapter or two. Nothing too long though. If you have some time to leave a review (good or bad) I would love to hear your thoughts on this._

_Thank you!_

_Ashes_

_Note: This chapter has been edited on 2-16-15 to fix some spelling mistakes that were brought to may attention. _

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><p>Evelyn walked slowly through the main hall of Skyhold. Her head was pounding and all the noise was just making it worse. She smiled politely to the people gathered in the hall as she made her way to the war room. She was intentionally early for the meeting with her advisors, hoping to have a few quiet moments to herself. She needed to try and put herself together before they arrived. She needed to stop the demon voices from clouding her mind. The voices had always been loud, it was something that every mage across Thedas was familiar with. It was something that they learned to ignore, to push aside and deny the beasts, the consequences other wise were often fatal.<p>

At the circle in Ostwick she had seen her fair share of mages turn to demons... and she'd seen the Templars act accordingly. She once had a friend in the circle who had been killed during his harrowing. The first enchanter had told them that he had allowed himself to become possessed by a demon and there had been no other option. She'd always been cautious in the Fade, even more so after that day. But it had gotten harder since the anchor. She could hear their voices all the time, she no longer had to be in the Fade to be tormented by their calls. Their voices became a constant presence in her mind. Always calling, promising to make everything better if she'd only let them in. Several times since the events at the conclave she'd actually considered their offer. She was afraid to admit she was losing control.

She slipped through Josephine's office quickly, relieved to find the ambassador was not in. She and Josephine had become fast friends and Evelyn often visited the Antivan woman to gossip. It made her feel like she was back at home, instead of the in the middle of a war against an ancient Magister-darkspawn.

The pain in her head was growing. She pulled her long, black hair out of the bun she kept it in. Keeping her hair back was something she had learned at the circle, quite by accident, and had been reinforced by being out with the Inquisition.

The war room was not as empty as she had hoped it to be. Leliana and Josephine were huddled over the map of Orlais. No doubt working to smooth over the Inquisition's alliance with Empress Celene. Even though they had saved Celene and cemented her rule over Orlais, it was still a new alliance that needed guidance.

"Inquisitor. We did not expect to see you for another hour. I can send for Commander Cullen if you like." Josephine smiled as she headed for the door to call one of the servants in. Of course Evelyn would want the commander. The two, while quite about their relationship, were not a secret. It was obvious to anyone who had eyes. Leliana and Josephine had never openly voiced their opinions on the matter. Thought Leliana never hesitated to tease the commander whenever opportunity arose. At any other moment, Evelyn would have eagerly agreed but she was not ready to face him just yet. Cullen had his own struggles and worried about her enough as it was. He didn't need any thing else to fall on his plate.

"That's alright, Josephine. Pretend I'm not here." Evelyn said as she found a seat by one of the windows. She pulled her knees up to her chest and watched the late afternoon light play through the windows. She stared at a spot on the floor, trying to force the voices back into Fade.

"Inquisitor," The distorted voice purred. "I can help you. I can take all the pain away. Just let me in. Let me fix everything for you." Evelyn shook her head. It was a lie. Demons lied, there was no exception to be found. They wanted freedom from the Fade and would promise anything to get it. She closed her eyes tight against the headache they were causing. Slowly, the voices quieted down. They were still present, but at least they weren't as loud.

She leaned back against the cold, stone wall. Letting the cold sooth her throbbing head.

"Inquisitor." A voice called out. It was so familiar, not like the voices of the demons. "Inquisitor!" The room darkened around her and the gentle whistle of the wind disappeared. The hair on the back on her neck stood up as the crackle of fire and the smell of the Fade assaulted her senses.

She opened her eyes as the room suddenly got hotter. The bright orange white fire made her flinch back as shield her eyes. It took them a moment to adjust to the new light and translate the sight before her. Where Leliana had stood, now stood a rage demon. It's unnatural fire lighting the room in a eerie glow.

"Leliana!" Evelyn screamed as he drew her magic in, preparing a spell. The rage demon turn it's head to face her. The demon roared and reached out with its claws.

"How is this possible?" Evelyn wondered aloud as she stared at Leliana. She wasn't a mage. She couldn't be possessed by a demon. It didn't make sense. Her thoughts were disrupted as she watched Josephine's body twist and grow. Spikes grow out of her forearms as she contorted into a pride demon. Evelyn stared in horror. The pride demon stepped toward her, the heavy step shaking the room around her. She reached for the spell she had preparing. The warmth being sucked from the room as she gathered a ball of frost on her palm.

The rage demon growled something inaudible and the pride demon tried to take cover behind the war table. Evelyn laughed at the feeble attempt to hide from her power. They would not have her. She released the frost at the rage demon, but it was faster than she had anticipated. It danced away from her spell and ran toward her. It was so fast, faster than the others she had dealt with before. She pulled another spell to her but the rage demon was already behind her. The firey claws grabbed her wrists and pulled them behind her back. Evelyn screamed as the fire seared her skin.

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><p>Leliana held tightly to Evelyn's wrists. The Inquisitor was stronger than she looked and Evelyn struggled mightly against her. Trying to free her hands for another spell.<p>

"Josie!" She had to yell to be heard over Evelyn's screaming. "Get Cullen! Quickly!" Josephine nodded and ran from the war room.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello everyone. Thank you for taking the time to give this story a read. _

_This chapter is very short. I apologize for the delay in getting it up. I went back to work and started graduate school so my writing time has been cut short. I try to write a sentence or two before going into work in the mornings. I'm taking a bit longer to write this story as I want to give you something, hopefully, well thought out. The story has changed so much from the initial idea and continues to have new possibilities the more I think on it. There was a discussion on a Dragon Age Fan Fiction group that discussed long chapters vs short chapters and frequency of posting. I thought about waiting till this was a larger chunk but it seemed a lot of people were more interested in frequency over length. I'd like your opinion on that subject, if you wouldn't mind. _

_One last thing, I would like to thank everyone who has favorited/followed the story and myself. A special thank you to those who reviewed. Your comments and critics are wonderful and help me so much. Please keep them coming. _

_Thank you very much! I hope you enjoy this small chapter._

_Ashes_

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><p>Leliana held tightly to Evelyn's wrists. The Inquisitor was stronger than she looked and Evelyn struggled mightly against her. Trying to free her hands for another spell. Leliana didn't understand what had happened. Why had she turned on them like that?<p>

"Josie!" She had to yell to be heard over Evelyn's screaming. "Get Cullen! Quickly!" Josephine nodded and ran from the war room. When Leliana heard the door slam shut again she released her hold on Evelyn. Leliana backed away from Evelun. Her hands up in front of her. Trying her best to convey that she was no threat.

"You will not have me, demon!" Evelyn growled as she released another spell. Leliana jumped out of the way, rolling as she hit the ground and quickly returning to her feet.

"Inquisitor! I am not a demon!" Leliana moved, putting the war table between them. It wasn't much of a barrier, not against her magic, but it was better than nothing. She stood ready, watching the inquisitor with a well trained eye. Evelyn was standing defensively, ready to throw another spell if needed. Leliana stayed back, had this been any other mage it would have been handled quickly. She could easily end this conflict if it came to that, she prayed that wasn't the case. Evelyn was their leader. If word spread that the leader of the Inquisitor had fallen to madness, they would be finished. The people would lose their faith in them and then there would be nothing standing in the way of Corypheus.

"Inquisitor please," Leliana paused and waited for any movement from the other woman. "There are no demons here. It is just you and I." While the Inquisitor stood still, Leliana was able to get a better look at her. She didn't look like the woman who had entered the war room not long ago. Her hair was damp with sweat and he'd bright eyes were dull. She did not look well at all.

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><p>Josephine quickly moved through the main hall of Skyhold. Trying to maintain a sense of urgency without drawing more attention to herself and the situation. Whatever was happening with the Inquisitor was not something that needed to be made public. She brushed off the questions of some of the keeps servants as she made her way out to Cullen's office on the battlements. Why that man insisted on staying out there when there was a perfectly good keep, with plenty of room, she would never know. She kept up her brisk pace until she was out of the keep, striding right past Solas and out onto the battlements. Once out of sight she quickened her pace into a run. She pulled opened the door and quickly darted inside.<p>

"Cullen, come quickly!" She waited by the door. Cullen looked up from his paperwork. "It's the Inquisitor!" He stood up quickly, coming around the desk to follow her.

"What's happened? Is she alright?" Josephine shook her head.

"She's in the war room with Leliana. She attacked us."

"She what?"

"No time. Just hurry, and bring your sheild. I'm afraid you will need it."


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for stopping by and checking on this fic. I really appreciate you taking the time to read through my story. _

_I would like to send out a special thank you to everyone who's reviewed, followed, and added both myself and/or this story to your favorites list. _

_I would like to apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. I started Graduate school which takes up more time than I had hoped. This chapter took even longer because I struggled with what to do here. I had an idea, that I really like, and I've been struggling to form it into what I had already established here in this story. So far, I think it's working out alright. I wrote this chapter over a week or so and then went back and rewrote it and edited and tweaked it a bunch. _

_I hope you enjoy. _

_Ashes_

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><p>Evelyn sent another blast of ice flying through the war room and the demon easily evaded her blast. She could feel herself running low on power. Why wasn't it attacking her? It stood on the other side of the war table, watching her with its empty, black eyes. It kept distance between them, even when it did move it maintained some distance between them. Did it think that distance kept it safe from her magic?<p>

_"Inquisitor." _It growled. _"Please, Inquisitor." _The rage demon moved again, slowly making its way around the war table. Evelyn sent another blast of magic toward it. The demon moved faster than she believed possible. Why was it able to move so fast? She'd fought rage demons before and they had never been able to move like this. Something was wrong. How did a demon get to Leliana? She wasn't a mage, the demon shouldn't have been able to possess her. How was any of this possible. Her head pounded as her thoughts raced. Her body felt heavy and she grew weary with each use of her magic. The demon must know that magic has a limit and was trying to get her to use all her power becoming attacked her. Something in the back of her mind told her that theory was wrong but she couldn't figure out why that might be. She heard the low grumble of the demon but she couldn't make out the words.

There was a noise in the distance. A creaking door maybe? It was hard to make out the sound over the buzzing in her head. Voices echoed around her. Loud voices, calling to her. She recognized them but... from where? The ground disappeared from beneath her feet and she was falling downward. Strong arms grabbed her and pulled her in.

"Evelyn?" A man's voice, distant but strong. She looked up at the face above her. She knew that face. Why did she know that face? She started at him, trying to piece together images of him, until his face disappeared into blissful darkness.

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><p>After two days of the Inquisitor being absent around Skyhold, people had begun to wonder what was going on. There were rumors and she and the Commander had locked themselves away for more... private dealings. Their relationship was no secret and they had both disappeared at the same time. Those rumors were the kindest. Others said they heard things coming from the war room and either the Inquisitor and the Commander left the Inquisition entirely, or they were dead. Depending on who was telling the story. Varric worried that the last rumor was closer to the truth. He had heard the commotion from the war room and had done his best to distract the people with a wild tale of his time in Kirkwall.<p>

Varric went to Leliana the early morning hours of the third day. The ravens were loud as he climbed the last few steps. Some were returning back to their handlers, others were being sent out. Even in the early morning hours the roosts were a busy place.

Leliana was leaning over a map on a table, speaking with one of her people about something Orlesian. Varric made his way over to the table, and waited for Leliana to dismiss the scout.

"How's her inquisitorialness?"

"Worse, I'm afraid." Leliana sighed. "What happened, Varric? You were with her in Redcliff. Was she herself then?"

"Actually... that's what I came to talk to you about." He nodded toward the door that lead out to the balcony. They said nothing to each other under the door was closed. Varric looked to make sure they were alone before he continued. Leliana waited impatiently for Varric to continue his story.  
>"When we were in Redcliff, the inquisitor took off for a while. Said it was personal business. Asked me to keep the rest of the crew distracted for a while."<p>

"Personal business?" Varric looked down at his hands. "If you know something..."

"She was meeting someone she knew. Someone from Ostwick. She didn't say anything else and I didn't ask."


End file.
